Out of the thorns a savior is born
by Writingisfunlol
Summary: Long ago in the enchanted forest, Regina had the chance to accept her true love or continue down the path of vengance. She made her choice, now that the Dark One has it out for all of the characters of Storybrook, they'll need a savior. She can't possibly defeat Emma without giving up what she loves most.. Or what she loved...
1. Chapter 1

Click clack click clack

The sound of heels hitting the cemented pavement woke him in what appeared to be a dark, putrid dungeon. The Evil Queens dungeon.

Robin thought hard but could not recall what he'd done to get him locked up in this particular royals dungeon. He hadn't stolen anything from her, that he could think of. Last he remembered he was throwing back some beers in a tavern when...

"Rise and shine thief." The Evil Queen stood proud and mighty right outside his cell door. Grinning at her newest conquest with her ruby red lips.

"You look surprised, didn't think I'd catch you..."

"Doing what exactly?" He threw back, coming out of the shadows to face her.

"Stealing from my garden." She finished. "What is it that you want with my roses?!"

"Roses? Lady are you insane?!"

"Watch your tone with me thief, or you won't live to see those roses bloom."

"My apologies, your most Royal highness." He bent at the knee and tipped his head at her mockingly.

"And what is it that I'm meant to want with your roses?"

"That is what I want to know. My garden is private in case the thorns weren't enough, there is the matter of the giant wall surrounding them."

"I can see these roses are valuable to you, why? I truly have no clue, and although my reputation precedes me, I did not steal your roses."

"You lie." She smiled a wicked smile and withdrew a mirror from her robe. In the reflection a man with his face was seen climbing over the wall stealing said roses.

"It's not me!" Robin was confused, the man in the mirror was him, but it wasn't! He hadn't been near the castle, he had no need for roses.

"I have no need for roses! I steal from the rich to give to the poor, what could I possibly want with your bloody roses! Ah-"

His throat felt tight and his ability to breath became labored. He saw her hand cringe in mid air magically restricting his airway.

"Liars don't do well by me thief, I'll be needing those roses back-" in his struggle to free himself his sleeves slid down his forearms and a peculiar image became visible. The image of a lion, she had seen only days prior. A symbol of that of her soul mate.

She released him, and his body dropped to the ground. "Take me to the roses you stole." She commanded.

"I don't have them!" He pleaded. "I don't, I truly don't. But I have an interest in catching whoever it is that is using my face for the thievery of flowers. Release me and I will find him for you."

She looked at him for a long while, she could release him, he really didn't seem to know anything about the roses powers, and yet he had waltz right through their harsh thorns and made it out unscathed. It had to have been him. Those roses would only part for her true love, and she didn't have one. Unless the fairy was right, and he was it. Damn it.

Poof! They both disappeared from the dungeon in a cloud of purple magic, and reappeared at the entrance of her rose garden. "Walk through and pick some." She ordered.

Robin took a look at the roses, dark red like her lips, with thick stems and wild thorns growing wild from where they stood to a back wall, doubling him in height. He hesitated and then stepped towards the fearsome flowers.

It didn't take long before the thorns cut into his skin. Blood dropped from the wounds but he pushed on through them.

Regina watched him cross the brush with determination, and the visible rivulets of blood dripping from his arms and neck made her heart skip a beat. The thorns didn't part for him like they had for the man in the mirror, but this man, the one in front of her, he pushed on through the pain.

Robin screamed in frustration at the irritating scratches and made his way back to the queen, tossing a blood soaked bouquet at her feet.

He caught his breath on hands and knees, feeling each small cut sting with the sweat of his efforts. The roses incinerated where they'd fallen and the Queen began to walk away.

"Well done thief, you weren't lying. Now we must capture whoever did steal my roses. Come along"

 **Hello OutlawQueen fans! I assume it's you, because that is mainly what this story is going to be about.. I mean, some characters may pop in and out but mainly these beautiful two. The show isn't exactly wetting my OQ whistle :) so I decided to give this one a shot! I hope you all like! Please feel free to send me some of your OQ fanfics too! I'd love to have some OQ on my down time. To all my other oncers, welcome too! All of the other characters will be mainly canon so many of the original ships wil be involved. Are you all ready for a little ride? Let me know what you think! I'm almost done with chapter 2 and I'm wasting no time posting it :))**


	2. On a quest of true love

"Robin!"

Regina tossed and turned in bed, dreading the last bits of nightmare she'd just woken up from. Robin was being tortured by her Evil self. How could she ever think she could be the savior when her true love wasn't even safe from her.

"Regina? What's wrong love? It's alright. It was just a nightmare." Robin took her in his arms and soothed her. She was shaking, all of this Dark One business had her so strung up. He knew she felt guilty for Storybrook loosing their Savior, it hadn't been her fault. Emma had chosen her own destiny, but in a way he felt guilty as well. He'd loose a thousand saviors if it'd let him keep his one true love.

"It's alright love."

"It's not alright! It isn't! I'm so sorry, she kissed his chest, and his arms, and his neck. "I'm so so sorry." She cried and nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck.

She knew it meant nothing, she knew no matter how sorry she was, no matter how many times she repeated it, how many times anyone heard it. It meant nothing, she was evil. She was the reason no one could get a happy ending, she was the reason for Storybrook in the first place, and now she was the reason for Emma becoming the Dark One, and she was right. She could never stop her, she wasn't the savior, she never could be. She was just evil, and not even powerful enough to even cause a dent in the Dark Ones path.

"I've hurt so many people Robin, so many. I can't bear the thought of ever hurting you." She sobbed quietly hiding her face from him.

"Oh sweetheart, come here" he sat up in bed and pulled her up with him. He gently lifted her chin and saw her tear stricken face. She was the love of his life, and watching her suffer was unacceptable. Whatever he had to do to make it better he would. "You'd never hurt me, I know it."

"You can't possibly know that, I'm evil Robin. I've done so much damage, I don't think I can ever make up for it. How can I be the savior? How? And I know I must. I must, but I can't." She crumpled again and he held her. He just held her. If he could take on the burden of her evils for her he would. She needed to feel like the savior in order to _be_ the savior, all of this self loathing and torture would not help her defeat the Dark One.

"Isn't there a way? To get rid of the darkness. To wash away the sins Regina, there must be."

"There's no way to get rid of that Robin, there's no way to rewrite history. What I could do." She wiped at her face, sniffled and thought of a plan, a most horrible plan. "What I could be able to do is to give up my dark magic. I could do that.." She looked at him. "but I couldn't. I couldn't do that to you."

"Tell me! Whatever it is my love I'd do it."

Regina hesitated, she knew the future of Storybrook depended on her. The future of everyone she had failed, of everyone she had wronged with every one of her selfish choices. She couldn't make another one. She had to step up and be their savior, just like Emma had said. It would just cost her Robin, and she didn't think she could do that.

"A long time ago, when I was still the Evil Queen, I could've been happy. I could've had you." She began, as she caressed his beautiful face. "As you remember, Tinker bell showed me to you. My soul mate. But I didn't think anyone could ever love me, I was so blinded by revenge, and anger, and pain. All I had was my darkness. My magic. Thinking about the possibility of having you, made me weak, and Rumplestiltskin saw that. He said I was turning soft, and gave me an Elixir of light, he gave it to me to taunt me, he said: If you decide to give up your dark magic, for a whimpering baboon then drink this dearie. This, along with a rose from your garden and a true loves kiss will leave you squeaky clean, all light magic."

Robin looked at her in awe, she had an elixir! A rose and a true loves kiss! He could surely do that!

"I burned down the garden." She said looking down at her lap. " I smashed the elixir, and I never spoke to you in that tavern remember? I holed myself up in my dark magic and became the Evil Queen. I ruined every possible chance of being happy. I've ruined everything."

"We can go back, before you did all those things."

" I don't think I can Robin" a thick tear streaked her cheak.

"But, I can. I love you Regina, I will fix this." She knew he'd choose for her, she knew he'd be less selfish, that he'd choose what's right. She would have to find a way to open a portal, a way to send them back, discreetly, so that the Dark One wouldn't be able to stop them.

"Emma Swan." Regina looked into Robins eyes. What was he doing?!

"Robin no!"

"Emma Swan. Emma Swan"

"About time, you spilled the beans Regina." The Dark One appeared in a cloud of dark smoke, and she stood tall at the door of the room, in a split second she closed the space with a snap.

"You rang lover boy?" She looked at Robin and grinned, knowing full well what was to unfold.

Robin looked straight into Regina's eyes. He saw fear in them, he saw sadness. She was going to hate him for this, but it was what needed to be done. If true love would make Regina the savior, then by all means he would die trying.

Regina gripped him tight and regretted ever mentioning her past to him, this was what Emma had wanted all along, for her to give up her true love.

"No!" She begged him, "there'll be another way. We can't trust her!"

Emma paced around the room grinning at the separation of the lovers, how delightful to see them tear themselves apart. The pieces were aligning!

"This is my choice love, you've made yours let me make mine."

"Cut the melodrama why don't you? Before I gag. What is it that you wish for, Robin. Tick tock tick tock"

"Send me back to the past, let me fix this. Regina will be the savior and she will take the darkness from you, just like you wanted."

"Hahahahaha" the Dark one broke out into an evil laugh "you call on me to help you defeat me? You think you stand a chance? Haha we shall see."

"He's not going anywhere! Go away Emma!" She wasn't going to let her ruin this for her, she'd wronged Emma enough to know Robin wouldn't be safe at the Dark Ones hands.

Thunder split inside the room, and dark clouds swirled into a portal, a tangle of rose thorns appeared on the other side. Emma grabbed Robin by the collar of his shirt and tossed him in.

"Oops" she giggled as the portal shut.

"No!" Regina cried as the portal disappeared. He was gone. Her nightmare come true, he was gone! She formed blazing fireballs and aimed them at Emma, but the Dark One appeared mere inches from her face, she had a hold of Regina's wrists and her blazing fireballs froze and shattered to the ground.

"I win." She whispered in her ear. "He may find what he's searching for, but he'll never make it back. And then you'll be here, alone. Fighting a war you can't possibly win, and he'll be there.. Most likely getting murdered by _you_ , your highness."

With that she was gone. Regina was left to her own with nothing but the reverberating sound of Emma's laughter.

 **I love Lana's range! (And Jennifers too!) a little something I want from these three! Robin earning the right to be the holder of Regina'sheart, Regina being s vulnerable as possible with anyone really, and Emma rejoicing in her darkness. A yummy combination for the three. Let me know what you think! I'm having a lot of fun with this one :)**


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